1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to near field communication (NFC). In particular, the present invention relates to adding NFC capability to an existing mobile device.
2. Background of the Invention
Mobile devices, such as cellular telephones, have become a common tool of everyday life. Cellular telephones are no longer simply used to place telephone calls. With the number of features available rapidly increasing, cellular telephones, often in the form of a smartphone, are now used for storing addresses, keeping a calendar, reading e-mails, drafting documents, etc. In addition to these uses, mobile devices are now beginning to be used as electronic IDs to uniquely identify a user to a reader or a scanner. For instance, a user can make contactless payments at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal simply by holding a mobile phone up to a scanner. There are several additional applications to such unique electronic identifying.
NFC identification generally utilizes a secure element which holds personal information and an NFC circuit in order to transmit the payment information to a reader. The NFC circuit includes an NFC processor, transceiver/radio, and an antenna, for instance a loop antenna. There are a number of different ways to enable a device to communicate with an NFC reader. For instance, the NFC circuit and the secure element may be embedded in the hardware of the device during its manufacturing process. Alternatively, the mobile device may be enabled through accessories. Such accessories may include a microSD slot or an NFC sticker. An NFC sticker is a miniaturized version of a credit card with the radio frequency (RF) circuit embedded within. The sticker may be adhered to an external surface of the mobile device. However, the NFC sticker does not allow for any electronic communications between that payment technology and the mobile device itself. More specifically, there is no communication between the NFC circuit and the circuitry of the device.
microSD slots have proved to be a popular entry point for accessory based NFC technology enablement whereby the RF circuit and the secure elements for storing payment credentials are fabricated within a microSD card and inserted into a mobile device. This solution essentially retroactively enables that mobile device for contactless payment. While many mobile devices may be enabled using a memory card slot on the mobile device, some devices cannot be enabled this way. For instance, the iPhone™ is unique for a number of different reasons, not the least of which is that the iPhone does not have an external memory slot, such as a microSD slot.
There do exist some accessories that use the iPort connection interface at the bottom of the iPhone. Systems may be created which plug into the bottom of the iPhone and use the iPort as a means to communicate with externally appended NFC circuitry and the internal electronic software on the device. However, such a method requires the user to use an iPort connector that is manufactured exclusively by Apple. The iPort connector also requires that the provider of the accessory get any applications certified or else the iPhone will not operate, with an interrupt error message informing the user of the unauthorized accessory. Further, a connection through the iPort connector provides a fairly bulky component and a solution that plugs into at the bottom of the iPhone would unduly extend the length of the device. In many cases, this length extends beyond the length that customers find appealing. The extension also makes the accessory prone to damage or becoming dislodged through just normal wear and tear or bumping of the iPhone.
Another NFC enablement solution is a Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) enabler. A SIM enabler is essentially a thin film that has electronics embedded in it. One end of the film is in the shape and size of a standard SIM card. The film slides in-between the SIM card and the phone. Appended to the film is a larger piece of the film that houses a RF antennae and the NFC circuitry. The challenge with such a solution is that it requires a traditional SIM card slot for the SIM enabler to fit into the device. In the case of the iPhone, the iPhone has a SIM tray that has very tight tolerances. Even though the thin film of the SIM enabler is quite thin, there is not enough space to have the SIM enabler inserted in with the antennae portion sticking out from the SIM tray.
There are also other challenges with the SIM enabler. For instance, the SIM enabler may move around and some of the electronic contacts can become misaligned and essentially short out the signals that are going between the SIM and the device. This can cause any number of failures. Additionally, the SIM enabler is somewhat unsightly because it may be external to the device. While some devices may hide this under a battery door, the iPhone does not provide such an opportunity because the battery is fully enclosed and is not accessible by the consumer.
FIGS. 1A-1C show a mobile device with a smart card tray, similar to that of the iPhone. A smart card is inserted into the smart card tray, for instance a SIM tray, and the smart card tray is inserted into the mobile device. The smart card tray fits securely within the communication device, as the mobile device provides for very little clearance on any side of the smart card tray. FIG. 1A shows an exterior panel of a smart card tray completely inserted into mobile device 100. FIG. 1B shows smart card tray partially inserted into mobile device 100. The smart card tray includes a tray portion 120 and an exterior panel 110. FIG. 1C shows the smart card tray from another perspective, and a smart card 130 lined up to be placed in tray 120. Tray 120 is simply a holder with a gap such that the contacts on the bottom surface of smart card 130 are in electrical communication with a smart card interface inside mobile device 100.
What is needed is a way to enable NFC on a device without an external memory slot and with small tolerances around a smart card slot.